The golden autumn season is the most rare. When people are still enjoying the cool and pleasant weather, winter comes again in a blink of an eye.

The cold northwest wind blows outside Yumen Pass, causing the temperature in the Central Plains to drop continuously. At this time, hiding in the restaurant and ordering a mutton hot pot, plus a pot of hot and hot water, is considered a real enjoyment.

On a cold wind whistling dusk, in the eastern part of the Sili area, in Kaifeng City, which is adjacent to Chenliu, Yanzhou, the most famous Hongyun Restaurant welcomed several mysterious but certainly extremely noble guests.

The reason why the identity of the guest is that the shopkeeper and the waiter in the restaurant have not seen the appearance of the guest yet. The reason why the identity of the guest is that the officers and soldiers in Kaifeng City have searched the Hongyun Restaurant several times in the past few days, and today it is the third floor inside and outside the restaurant.

In a rather luxurious private room on the top floor of Hongyun Restaurant, there were only two people slowly drinking the long river song, whispering something.

One of these two people is the current emperor's uncle, the court magistrate, the secretary of Cao Cao, and the other is the general of Zhendong, the emperor personally appointed by Cao Mengde, the governor of Yanzhou.

Although Liu Bei and Cao Cao were not sure that Zhao Xing had a very secret and special spy force, they could clearly feel the feeling of being spying on and surveillance. Today's secret meeting is of great significance and will even determine the fate and future of the two people they will meet in the future, so they have to be cautious and careful, and secretly prepare for this meeting.

Kaifeng is located at the easternmost point of the Sili area, only a few dozen miles away from Chenliu, the Yanzhou capital. Choosing to meet here is indeed an excellent place.

Liu Bei and Cao Cao were both extremely experienced politicians. After meeting, they exchanged some greetings and went straight to the topics of concern to both sides without any delay.

Cao Cao said: "This time the imperial court named Zhao Guochang the King of Pingxi. If it is Yuan Gaolu, Sun Wentai and others want to follow suit. How should the imperial court respond?"

Liu Bei replied: "It was a forced force for the court to grant Zhao Guochang the king, and it was not the original intention of the emperor and the ministers in the court. However, more than 30,000 imperial guards, nearly 20,000 northern troops, and nearly 30,000 southern troops were detained by generals under Zhao Xing in Diaoyin, Linfen and Yingtao City. What's more, then 50,000 thieves broke in from outside the pass. If Zhao Guochang was not agreed to, Chang'an would be insecurity, and more than 80,000 troops would be the coolies in the mines of Jin. If Meng De was facing such a situation, how should he make a decision?"

Cao Cao drank the long river song in his cup with a melancholy expression and said with some self-deprecating self-deprecating: "I didn't expect that a boy who sold wine in Luoyang City had developed to the point where he could not defeat anyone in the world in just fifteen years. The great man's country would only change his surname to Zhao in 15 years!"

Liu Bei also sighed and said, "When I first met Zhao Guochang in the teacher's mansion, I knew that this son was not a thing in the pool, but I didn't expect that he could reach the point he is today. Could it be that there are really people who are born to know in this world?"

Cao Cao said: "I cannot be sure whether Zhao Guochang was born to know, but I believe that the emergence of Zhao Guochang greatly promoted the forward development of the Han civilization. Xuande did not see that our food, clothing, housing and transportation are inseparable from the various commodities produced by Jin State. Even the mutton hotpot we ate today and the long river daqu they drink were produced by Jin State."

Liu Bei nodded and agreed with Cao Cao's statement. He said: "I have analyzed the reasons for Zhao Guochang's success and found that this person is particularly outstanding in three aspects. First, this person is as keen as a wise man, and the talents he trusts and values ​​have almost never made any mistakes. It can be said that as long as he values ​​and selects talents, he will definitely shine in the future."

"Secondly, this person is unprecedented in military management. The five-character formula for the Zhao family's military commandment he proposed is simple and easy to implement, and the formation of the guardians and the setting of command institutions at all levels are also very reasonable. The Xianbei and Qianghu people who were originally rampant in the north were almost defeated after being protected, until they were completely destroyed."

"Third, this person always has unexpected measures in buying people's hearts and managing internal affairs. Now his reputation in the North is unreachable, and even today's sons cannot be compared with him. In the past, we always thought that businessmen were very humble, craftsmen were very humble, only real families were respected, and only studying and being an official was noble. Now it seems that our mistake is really outrageous!"

Liu Bei said a lot in one breath. Later, he didn't know whether it was because of the hot pot heat or the wine of Changhe Daqu came up. Anyway, his face turned red and his emotions became a little excited.

Cao Cao looked at Liu Bei who was excited and suddenly said something: "Xuande admires Zhao Xing so much, and this person is a person who is respectful to the wise and the wise and the wise and the wise and the poor, why not find another way out?"

After hearing Cao Cao's cold joke, Liu Bei looked at Cao Cao with a sneer and said, "Meng De is a capable minister in governing the world, and the Cao family has emerged in many heroes. Why don't you surrender?"

Well, these two people are unwilling to be inferior, and now they start to mock each other.

Cao Cao, who was bored, shut up. He buried his head and ate a few bites of the sautéed mutton, and then he finished drinking the wine in the glass with a happy look. Then he looked up and said to Liu Bei: "Since everyone is not willing to fall into depravity, then let's discuss how to deal with Zhao Guochang in the future!"

Liu Bei said: "Liu Yan's mediocre and incompetent people have been in Yuzhou for a long time. Why is it better for Meng De to replace him?"

Cao Cao thought to himself that Liu Bei, you threw out such a large piece of fat meat in Yuzhou as soon as you came up, and probably the plan was very big, so he asked: "Xuande threw out such a wealthy piece of land in Yuzhou. What do you want me to do?"

Liu Bei did not go around with Cao Heizi and said directly: "If you want to fight against Zhao Guochang now, you must integrate all forces! Sun Jian in Wuzhou cannot be handed over, Yuan Shu in Yangzhou cannot be kept, Liu Yan in Yuzhou cannot be used, Liu Biao in Jingzhou is unreliable, and Sima in Yizhou is not reliable. The most urgent task is to take over Liu Yan and Yuan Shu's territory, cut off Liu Biao's authority, and unify the Sili area, Yanzhou, Yuzhou, Yangzhou and Jingzhou, unify the military system and orders, and form an overall synergy."

Cao Cao looked at Liu Bei with a playful look and said slowly: "After this integration, the court will inevitably take power to the central government. Yuzhou said it was given to me, but wouldn't it be yours in the end?"

Liu Bei seemed to have known Cao Cao would have such a statement, but he did not deny it. Instead, he made a very shocking proposal: "Now you and I know that by your own strength, you are just a stagnant life, and sooner or later you will not be able to escape the fate of destruction. I believe Meng De would not have made a request to be a king to the court, right? Since this is the case, why not join forces to control the court and show its ambitions? If Meng De is the general, I am the prime minister, and he will be in charge of the military power and government of the Han Dynasty respectively, wouldn't it be a pleasure!"

What a guy, as soon as Liu Bei said this amazing proposal, Cao Cao's face changed after hearing it!


Chapter completed!